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ABOUT THIS REPORT

CFO Research recently published Getting Focused, Getting Ahead: Finance executives on managing leaner organizations equipped for growth, a report which documents how the economic downturn has affected mid-size companies and the steps their finance executives have taken in preparation for the recovery. This companion report examines the topic in further detail and presents evidence that companies have pared back their operations and streamlined their organizations on the way to adopting a more conservative approach to running their businesses as the recovery takes hold. But even as finance executives prepare themselves for an era of rigorous discipline and less waste, they exhibit a fierce competitive spirit, which bodes well for customers and the economy--and may serve as a warning to executives whose companies have been weakened through the downturn.